Prep Fastpitch

CHS strikes out against Kalama

Kalama scored two in the second, two in the fifth and two in the seventh to hold off host Columbia High, 6-2, in a non-league fastpitch game played on a brisk Monday afternoon.

The visiting Chinooks had only seven hits off CHS right-hander Ilima Caldwell during the seven-inning contest, but they made most of them count, including three in the top of the second inning that helped them get their first two runs.

Kalama also benefitted from eight Bruins miscues in the field. As a result, none of the six runs charged to Caldwell was earned.

Columbia batters tagged Kalama pitching for 12 hits, yet they produced just the two runs in the last of the sixth that cut Kalama's advantage in half. Kristie Morris led off the inning with her second double and scored on Lacey Delehant's third single. Later in the frame, Rachel Connolly drove in Lacey Kruse with her only basehit. Columbia also put runners on base in the first five innings but held itself in check by striking out 10 times.

But a lot of credit could go to Kalama's defense, which played error-free and made some big plays, including an early CHS scoring opportunity that was thwarted on a close force-out play at the plate.

Goldendale 22, at Columbia High 11: The Bruins and the Timberwolves slugged it out last Wednesday--two days after their season-opening non-league game was supposed to have been played. Rain on March 10 prevented the game from being played on schedule.

On the 12th, Goldendale basehits rained on Columbia's season opener--23 by one team's reckoning. Two of them accounted for six Goldendale runs: a grand slam by Kayla Graff and Hailey Hudson's two run homer.

The Timberwolves scored the game's first run but found themselves on the short end of an 11-10 score after four innings. They turned the deficit on its head in the fifth, however, by having six runners touch home plate.

Goldendale, which scored at least a run in six of seven innings, added a run in the sixth and five in the seventh to make the likelihood of a Columbia comeback remote specter.

The Bruins tallied just four hits but got help from six Goldendale errors. But after a strong start--10 runs in the first three innings--Columbia came up with blanks in its final three at-bats.